Steve King: Illegal aliens have “calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert”

NIT – Steve King has raised eyebrows after an interview with a conservative magazine.

King recently told Newsmax Magazine that illegal aliens have “calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert” while they weigh just 130 pounds.

King’s comments were in the context of describing how some Iowans favor immigration reform that is currently being considered in Congress. Kings says the bill that is headed to the House of Representatives grants amnesty to 11 million illegal immigrants.

King told Newsmax that the immigration debate has created “three groups of supporters in the United States.”

“First, there are the elitists,” King told Newsmax. “Elitists see that they should have access to cheap labor to clean their homes, mow their lawns, and take care of their gardens. The second group is Democratic power brokers. They see a tremendous advantage to the Democratic Party that turns us into a one-party system if they do what they’re trying to do with the Gang of Eight bill in the Senate.

“And the third group is those employers of illegals who benefit from cheap labor at the expense of the taxpayers who are subsidizing them through welfare programs.”

Many Democratic leaders found King’s remarks to be offensive.

House Speaker John Boehner called King’s remarks “wrong” and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said he “strongly disagreed” with King.

@Dreamer-I am going to say this one more time. In Mexico there are people of German, European, Russian, Italian, Greek, and yes even Jewish decent. They are consider themselves Mexican because they were born and raised in Mexico. You may be surprised to learn that a lot of them prefer Mexico as a home. Mexico is a country just like the U.S., Canada, England and any other country in the world. You are uninformed and ignorant to think anything else.

Let’s be clear. What king said was silly. However, the comprehensive reform bill passed out of the Senate is a sugar coated amnesty for 11 million Latinos that actually does little to enforce the border, which is what Democrats want, because they view the entirety of Mexico as one gigantic voting block. If that bill were to pass into law, 2 decades from now, we’d have another 10 to 20 million people here. The Republicans should have never backed it, and, the only reason they did, was to gain favor with a group of people who isn’t going to vote for them anyway.

People like King would do better to stick to the facts. Namely, if amnesty is granted we will have another 10 to 20 million here in a few decades, middle class wages are going to go down, and the cost for social services is going to go up.

King, and people like him, should demand the border be certified as 90% secure by an independent third party before any sort of amnesty is granted.

@ Fox – Good post. The democrats want as many Mexicans in America as they can get. Legal or illegal. Truth is, most of them are shiftless, no-good welfare groupies who will vote the democratic ticket if for no other reason than to keep their free meal benefits intact.

bodacious – your post of July 29 is ridiculous.
“King is a racist and his speech proves it.” What “race” are you talking about? His “speech” was merely relating what border security guards told him.
So you “have no respect for King and are ashamed he calls Iowa home”.
I much prefer a congressman who is not afraid to speak the truth despite the much feared emotion only response you seem to have perfected.

@4ever49-I neither read nor heard King say that border guards told him this. You just making that up so King doesn’t sound like he is totally off his rocker? i might amend my statement and pull back on the King is a racist comment and say simply his speech is racist but, essentially, it is the same thing.
As far as my “emotion-filled response”, you are stating that I am wrong in feeling emotions as strong as I do, but King is only telling the truth. Well, if he is( which I don’t believe) then his emotions got the best of him and he made a stupid, ignorant response.

bodacious – for your edification I have this from thinkprogress.org: “King reiterated that he has seen and heard undocumented youths with cantaloupe-sized calves cross the border and even confirmed those details with border patrol agents since his remarks attracted controversy.”
As to your “emotion-filled response” I am referring to the predilection to disbelieve a messenger because you dislike the language or imagery used to convey the message – without trying to determine if it is true. That said, I still think King is stating the situation truthfully and the language used is the only way he can keep the message from being swept under the MSM carpet.
I still maintain the speech is not “racist” but your continued use of this shibboleth is nothing more than the progressive default position of name calling instead of rational discourse.

Contrary to the propaganda, there are more than 20 million illegals presently in this country and that number is growing daily. Doubt it? Next time you’re at the grocery store look at who has the most kids tagging along!

@al Duitman-there are a lot more than 20 million here now. The tally you are using is about 5 years old. As far as the number of kids with them, there are several reasons for that. They are much more family orientated than we are so their kids go with them when they go somewhere. Also, the family helps support the whole so there are more of them to help. Different strokes of course. The point is, you can’t apply our values and culture to theirs. Different way of living.

Congressman King is talking about illegal aliens. People who are breaking the law. It’s time we stopped thinking of illegal aliens as a protected species. They are Mexicans who are breaking the law. Whites are becoming a minority because they are too busy being afraid of being labeled racist. Congressman King’s remarks may be offensive, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t true.

Love funnel – no cat came out of any bag. He simply stated a fact and you jumped on it trying to disprove it with using an emotional response instead of reason. By the way – don’t you lie to me and don’t keep deluding yourself mixing up emotion with reason.

The “fact” you say King stated is not a fact at all if what you are talking about is the calves statement nor is the comment that out of 101 Hispanics who enter this country 100 are running drugs. King is a racist and his speech proves it. I have no respect for him and I am ashamed that he calls Iowa home and that he represents us to the entire United States.

@ bodacious – Please read my post of July 26. In it I stated white people are afraid of being called racist, and look what you did. Proved me right. Whenever people are against the wall or lacking substance to debate on, they use the race card. So what would you call yourself?

Oh sure mrfoad, why doesn’t King get out his magic wand and make it happen because you know that only one guy can make things happen in congress. Uh wait, I guess Obama can. Just look at how the US is now with Obama at the helm of congress.

I just wish King would DO something about securing our borders, not just TALK about it. Unfortunetly, King prefers to make outlandish statemens, like the one in this article, just so he can have the spotlight.

mrfoad – and just what would you think one congressman can do by himself?
Votes are needed to accomplish anything.
His statements were not outlandish – just truthful, a commodity in short supply in DC.
The only time the light gets shown on a topic the MSM does not want to deal with is to talk about it in a forthright fashion.

Are you supposing he should start being corrupt? To start doing things like: bribes, back stabbing, making backroom deals, blackmail people, take money from and give money to organizations, to not hold on to his district’s best interests. It takes Congress to make things happen not a man. Unfortunately, Congress as a whole is broken and corrupt. There just there for looks now, to make the people think they’re doing something for the good but they’re not doing anything for the good.

LVS “What is wrong with this guy? Not all illegals are smugglers or criminals. Most are just looking for a better life for their family’s.”
So I guess it is ok for me to break the law all I want to do is make a better life for my family

Yes-you are an IDIOT-you need to read my post before you post. You can read can’t you?? If not you can probably get a third grader to read it for you. I said “I don’t agree with illegals” I have said that over and over. Illegal means just that. They broke our laws by coming here. That doesn’t mean they are all bad people you IDIOT.

@Lebowski-OK-It has proven somewhat effective in reducing benign tumors in mice. It doesn’t say anything about humans. Now maybe it is in the medical mumbojumbo that I don’t understand. However, if it was really effective in fighting cancer I can’t believe it is not being used. It is legal in a lot of states and people would be screaming their heads off if there was something there that was available and they couldn’t get it. Just saying.

and the earth is flat. How much more proof do you need? Our government holds a patent on the medical benefits of marijuana and still claims there is no medical benefit. IMO those who support marijuana prohibition are evil. Friedrich Nietzsche – “Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.”

People are are screaming their heads off. Personally, I write and talk to many elected representatives about ending cannabis prohibition on a regular basis. Unfortunately, they are either brainwashed or corrupt. Police unions and the prison industry fight undoing prohibition because their jobs rely on easy marijuana busts. Big Pharma doesn’t want medical marijuana available because people could grow the cure to what ails them in their back yard.
Politicians are all about supporting these industries and forget to represent we the people.
Cannabis For Infant’s Brain Tumor, Doctor Calls Child “A Miracle Baby”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/01/cannabis-for-infants-brai_n_2224898.html

@Lebowski-if this is true (I am not doubting your word) I would just like to see some proof. I do not trust big pharma at all. I will be really pissed. Even more that I am at the government now. I have a relative who has had cancer and could have used this rather than a very expensive operation. Thanks for the INFO. It is something to think about.

King is right. I like him for not being politically correct, it seems to me he’s not beholden to the elitists and race baiters. I’ll be voting for him and if you don’t like him then don’t vote for him; easy enough, right? As for this article, he’s misquoted as saying ‘hands the size of cantaloupes…’, what he actually said was ‘calves the size of cantaloupes…’.

I really can’t find anything to disagree with in the article. Also, the democratic party does cater to the illegal aliens, also to the blacks, as to anyone else who receives govt. handouts. The adage, “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” is the key actor in this drama. And if you note, Congressman King did not attack the aliens. Read closer: He mentioned the elitist’s, the democratic party, and the employers of the aliens. If you feel he is wrong, please address his article and not my post. Thanks.

@Sikastupd,All you can ever say about Steve King is that he is an Idiot or call him other names, you can never disprove or debate anything he has ever said, all you can do is name call and also attack anyone who defends him. Steve King would make a fool out of you in a debate and so would I for that matter. So both 4ever49 and I are asking the same question directly to you regarding this statement he made, Please answer. What did he say in this statement that is not true and factual?

You really expect someone to “prove” that ALL young Mexicans do NOT have calves the size of cantalopes and that ALL Dream Act people are NOT drug runners? Seriously? It’s like asking someone to PROVE that the moon is NOT made of cheese. It’s an exercise in bullshit!

King is dead on, with the three groups of supporters for immigration reform. I see no “positive” way, that flooding our country with 11 million plus illegals, is going to help anyone in the middle class and below. The rich get richer, and well, the rest of us just pay for it.

The question of cost keeping them out is not what’s being debated. It’s whether to make them citizens or not. Obviously the US cannot keep them all out but hey, right now they’re not even trying. In fact CBP is letting them through and to stay if they’re a ‘dreamer’. So, if we (the People, not the government) cannot keep them out then why should we give them the benefits of a US citizen. Why do all the legal immigrants have to pay the $700.00 fee for citizenship that may not be approved until about after three times trying. It makes no sense, this whole debate and what they want to do is about politics. Wake up America!

I would agree with King. He is just trying to a keep those who are criminals and drug smugglers from being put into the same group as those that did come with their parents as little kids. What is wrong with that I don’t want drug smugglers in the country. Look what ICE is doing with the Obama’s dream act they are going to jail and prisons and asking criminals if they came here as a minor. All they have to do is say yes and they are not qualified for citizenship. That is stupid. King is right he is trying to follow the law and keep the criminals out.

What is wrong with this guy? Not all illegals are smugglers or criminals. Most are just looking for a better life for their family’s. People who live here in the U.S. have no idea how these people or anyone in the 3rd world country’s have to live. As much as I disagree with how they are trying to allow 12 million or more illegals citizenship (my family had to go thru the regular way) and it was hard. I still feel bad for the illegals. They just need to do it the right way. Saying something like this does not help anyone.

@LVS, King never said that all Illegals are drug smugglers and criminals, he didn’t state anything of the kind in this statement, watch the video. I agree with a lot of things that you post here but I think you are dead wrong with this statement you made.

@John-My point was you can’t say they are all bad because they are not. Mexicans get a bad name as it is from the smugglers and cartel boys without a senator inferring that they are all bad. I don’t agree with illegals but over the years I have known quite a few and with the exception of a few bad apples they are good hard working people that are just trying to do better for their family’s. All I said is what is wrong with the guy saying that they are all smugglers. Most of the time I agree with what he says but not on this issue.

Perhaps the 130 pound Mexican hauling 75 pounds of weed across the desert deserves a medal for trying get us a medication that can arrest cancer and maybe King deserves to be in prison for trying to stop it.

The patent makes one wonder how the Justice Department and DEA can continue to classify cannabis as a Schedule I drug on the basis that it has “no medically accepted use in the United States.” That is rich.